Faculty Profile

Brief Biosketch
John W. Winkelman, M.D., Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and Medical Director of the Sleep Health Center of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Winkelman received his Ph.D. from Harvard University in Psychobiology and his M.D. from Harvard Medical School. He finished a residency in Psychiatry and a fellowship in Neurology (Sleep Disorders Medicine) at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Dr. Winkelman has conducted research in Restless Legs Syndrome and Periodic Limb Movement Disorder, Insomnia, sleep disorders in psychiatric patients, parasomnias, especially Sleep-Related Eating Disorder, and the effects of psychotropic medications on sleep quality and architecture. He has also developed and directed multiple undergraduate, post-graduate and continuing medical education courses in the areas of sleep disorders and biological psychiatry.

Dr. Winkelman has served on the Medical Advisory Board of the Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation, as an advisor to diagnostic revisions for DSM-IV and ICSD-2, and is currently the Chairman of the Nosology Committee for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Research and Publication Contributions
Research activities have focused on clinical sleep disorders.  These focus on three areas: Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) and Periodic Leg Movements of Sleep (PLMS), Sleep Related Eating Disorders (SRED), Effects of Psychiatric medications on sleep, and General Sleep Disorders. 

Papers on RLS have addressed epidemiology and outcomes of RLS in patients with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD).  We published the first paper demonstrating that patients with ESRD and RLS have increased mortality compared to those without RLS (American Journal of Kidney Disease, 1996).  Papers submitted or in press address therapeutic trials in RLS.  We published the first demonstration that PLMS are associated with a stereotyped heart rate acceleration following individual leg movements during sleep, even in the absence of EEG evidence of arousal (Sleep, 1999).  This work has been replicated in multiple other laboratories.  We have recently published a paper demonstrating that the heart rate response to obstructive respiratory events is also independently influence by the presence of leg movements are event termination (Sleep, in press). 

Longstanding clinical research has been performed identifying and characterizing patients with SRED (which is now in the ICSD2).  Clinical and polysomnographic characteristics (Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 1998) and prevalence in psychiatric and non-psychiatric populations (Psychological Medicine, 1999) are addressed in separate papers.  We published the first paper on treatment of SRED with topiramate (Sleep Medicine, 2004), which is considered a first-line treatment at this time.

Polysomnographic studies of the effects of psychotropic medications and/or psychiatric illness on sleep include identification of a marker of neuroleptic-induced akathisia (Clinical Neuropsychopharmacology, 1996), identification of risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea in psychiatric inpatients, (Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 2001), demonstration of REM sleep atonia (Sleep, 2004) and elevation in PLMS (Biological Psychiatry, 2005) in patients taking SSRIs, and association of cognitive deficits with slow wave sleep abnormalities in unmedicated patients with schizophrenia (Schizophrenia Research, 2005).

I was the guest editor for the recent issue of Primary Psychiatry (Vol. 12, #8, August, 2005) which focused on Sleep Disorders.  This journal is received by 60,000 primary care and psychiatric practitioners.  I was also the Medical Editor for the Harvard Medical Publications monograph, Improving Sleep: A Guide to Getting a Good Night’s Rest (2001).

I have written many reviews in the areas of sleep disorders, including those on RLS, PLMS and depression (Sleep, 2005), insomnia (Ann. Clinical Psych, 2005), separate chapters on RLS and Parasomnias for the APA published book, Sleep Disorders and Psychiatry (2005), on antidepressants and antipsychotics for the Sleep Research Society book SRS Basics of Sleep Guide (2005), and chapters on general sleep disorders for Harrison’s Textbook of Internal Medicine (2005), Neurology: Basic and Clinical Neurosciences (in press), Manual of Neurologic Therapeutics (2004), Neurologic Therapeutics, Principles and Practice (2003) and Consultation-Liason Psychiatry (2002).

Sleep Disorders Section, Division of Sleep Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital

Sepracor, Schwarz Pharmaceuticals, Boehringer Ingelheim, GlaxoSmithKline, Schwarz Biosciences, The Frank Gillis Fund, The Florence Petrlik Charitable Foundation, and Mr. Henry Levin

2006
Office Practice of Primary Care Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Lecturer "Sleep Disorders", Cambridge MA
McLean Hospital, "Psychopharmacology of Sleep Disorders", Lecture, 1 hour
Lahey Clinic, Internal Medicine Grand Rounds, "Sleep Disorders" Lecture 1 hour

2005
Mclean Hospital Grand Rounds, "Advances in Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)", Lecture, 1 hour, Burlington, MA
Update in General Internal Medicine for Sub-specialists, Harvard Medical School, Lecturer "Sleep Disorders" Cambridge, MA

2004
Psychiatry in 2004, McLean Hospital, "Sleep Disorders for Psychiatrists", Belmont, MA
Update in General Internal Medicine, Harvard Medical School, "Sleep Disorders", Cambridge, MA
Primary Care Internal Medicine, Harvard Medical School, "Sleep Disorders", Cambridge, MA

2003
Medicine for Sub-specialists, BWH, "Sleep Disorders", Boston, MA
Office Practice for Primary Care Medicine, BWH, "Sleep Disorders", Boston, MA
Intensive Review of Neurology, BWH, "Sleep Medicine", Boston, MA
Primary Care Internal Medicine, BWH, "Sleep Disorders", Boston, MA
Intensive Review of Neurology, MGH, "Sleep Medicine", Boston, MA
Review of Psychopharmacology, MGH, "Psychopharmacology of Sleep Disorders", Boston, MA
Primary Care Internal Medicine, MGH, "Sleep Disorders", Boston, MA

ORIGINAL REPORTS/ARTICLES

Garcia-Borreguero D, Winkelman J, Adams A, Ellis A, Morris M, Lamb J, Layton G, Versavel M; Sumanirole in RLS Study Group. Efficacy and tolerability of sumanirole in restless legs syndrome: a phase II,randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-response study.
Sleep Med. 2007 Mar;8(2):119-27. Epub 2007 Jan 18. [PMID: 17239657]

Winkelman JW. A better future for patients with restless legs syndrome.
Am J Med. 2007 Jan;120(1 Suppl 1):S28-9. [PMID: 17198768]

Winkelman JW. Sleep-related eating disorder and night eating syndrome: sleep disorders, eating disorders, or both?
Sleep 2006; 29(7):876-877. [PMID: 16895252]

Winkelman JW, Sethi KD, Kushida CA, Becker PM, Koester J, Cappola JJ et al. Efficacy and safety of pramipexole in restless legs syndrome.
Neurology 2006; 67(6):1034-1039. [PMID: 16931507]

Winkelman JW. Considering the causes of RLS.
Eur J Neurol 2006; 13 Suppl 3:8-14. [PMID: 16930377]

Winkelman JW, Finn L, Young T. Prevalence and correlates of restless legs syndrome symptoms in the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort.
Sleep Med 2006; 7(7):545-552. [PMID: 16740407]

Winkelman JW. Efficacy and tolerability of open-label topiramate in the treatment of sleep-related eating disorder: a retrospective case series.
J Clin Psychiatry 2006; 67(11):1729-1734. [PMID: 17196052]

Plante DT, Winkelman JW. Parasomnias.
Psychiatr Clin North Am 2006; 29(4):969-987. [PMID: 17118277]

Yang CK, Winkelman JW. Clinical significance of sleep EEG abnormalities in chronic schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia Research, 2006, 82:251-60.

Yang CK, Jordan A, White DP, Winkelman JW. Heart rate response to respiratory events with or without leg movements.
Sleep, in press.

Yang CK, White DP, Winkelman JW. Antidepressants and Periodic Leg Movements of Sleep.
Biological Psychiatry, 2005, 58:510-514.

Yang CK, White DP, Winkelman JW. Antidepressants and Periodic Leg Movements of Sleep.
Biological Psychiatry, 2005, 58:510-14.

Picchietti D, Winkelman J. Restless legs syndrome, periodic leg movements in sleep, and depression.
Sleep, 2005, 28:891-898.

Winkelman JW, Pies R. Current patterns and future directions in the treatment of insomnia.
Annals of Clinical Psychiatry, 2005, 17:31-40.

Winkelman JW. Designing a sleep disorder curriculum for psychiatry residents.
Harvard Review of Psychiatry, 2005, 13:54-6.

Winkelman JW, James L. Serotonergic antidepressants are associated with REM sleep without atonia.
Sleep, 2004, 27:317-321.

Winkelman JW, Johnston L. Augmentation and tolerance with long-term pramipexole treatment of restless legs syndrome (RLS).
Sleep Medicine, 2004, 5:9-14.

Winkelman JW. Treatment of nocturnal and sleep-related eating with topiramate.
Sleep Medicine, 2003, 4:243-246.

Winkelman JW. Schizophrenia, obesity and obstructive sleep apnea.
Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 2001;61:8-11.

Gliklich RE, Tagihizadeh F, Winkelman JW. Health status in patients with disturbed sleep and obstructive sleep apnea.
Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, 2000;122:542-546.

Winkelman JW, Herzog DB, Fava, M. The prevalence of sleep-related eating disorder in psychiatric and non-psychiatric populations.
Psychological Medicine,1999;29:1461-6.

Winkelman JW. The evoked heart rate response to periodic leg movements of sleep.
Sleep, 1999;22:575-580.

Winkelman JW. Clinical and polysomnographic features of sleep-related eating disorder.
Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 1998;59:14-19.

Winkelman JW, Chertow G. Restless Legs Syndrome.
Seminars in Dialysis, 1997;10:183-184.

Winkelman JW, Chertow G, Lazarus JM. Restless legs syndrome in end-stage renal disease.
American Journal of Kidney Diseases, 1996;28:372-8.

Cunningham SL, Winkelman JW, Dorsey CM, Lukas SE, Richardson GS, Sholar MB. An electromyographic marker for neuroleptic-induced akathisia: preliminary measures of sensitivity and specificity.
Clinical Neuropsychopharmacology, 1996;19:321-332.

Dorsey CM, Lukas SE, Teicher MH, Harper D, Cunningham SL, Taylor JF, Winkelman JW, Satlin A. Effects of passive body heating on sleep of older female insomniacs.
Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology, 1996;9:83-90.

Winkelman JW, Goldman H, Piscatelli N, Lukas S, Dorsey CM, Cunningham S. Are thyroid function tests necessary in patients with suspected sleep apnea?
Sleep, 1996;19:790-3.

Pradhan P, Gliklich R, Winkelman JW. Rates of obstructive sleep apnea in patients referred for evaluation of snoring.
Laryngoscope, 1996;106:1393-7.

McCarley RW, Winkelman JW & Duffy FH. Human cerebral potentials associated with REM sleep rapid eye movements: Links to PGO waves and waking potentials.
Brain Research, 1983;274:359-364.

Solomon PR, Crider A, Winkelman JW. Disrupted latent inhibition in the rat with chronic amphetamine or haloperidol-induced supersensitivity: Relationship to schizophrenic attention disorder.
Biological Psychiatry, 1981;16:519-537.

REVIEWS, CHAPTERS and EDITORIALS

Winkelman JW. Parkinson's disease.
In: Encyclopedia of Sleep and Dreaming. Carskadon M, editor. New York: Macmillan; 1992. p. 437-438.

Malhotra A, Fogel RB, Pillar G, Winkelman JW. Non-Respiratory Sleep Disorders.
In: Pulmonary and Critical Update Online; 1999;Volume14, Lesson 4.

Weilburg J, Winkelman JW. Sleep Disorders.
In: Wise M, Rundell J editors. Consultation-Liason Psychiatry, 2nd Ed.. Washington: American Psychiatric Press; 2002. pp. 495-518.

Fogel RB, Winkelman JW. Parasomnias.
In: Neurologic Therapeutics, Principles and Practice, Noseworthy JH., editor, 2003; pp 1310-1312.

Winkelman JW, Fogel RB. Sleep disorders.
In: Manual of Neurologic Therapeutics, Seventh Edition, Samuels MA, Ed., Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2004.

Czeisler CA, Winkelman JW, Richardson GS. Sleep Disorders.
In: Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, Kasper DL, Braunwald E, Fauci A, , Hauser SL, Longo DL, Jameson JL, eds., 16th edition, 2005; pp. 153-162.

Winkelman JW. Restless Legs Syndrome.
In: Sleep Disorders and Psychiatry (Review of Psychiatry Series, Volume 24, Number 2; Oldham JM and Riba, series editors), Buysse DJ, editor, 1st edition, 2005. p.139-162.

Winkelman JW. Parasomnias.
In: Sleep Disorders and Psychiatry (Review of Psychiatry Series, Volume 24, Number 2; Oldham JM and Riba, series editors), Buysse DJ, editor, 1st edition, 2005. p.163-183.

Yang CK,Winkleman JW. Antidepressant and Antipsychotic Drugs and Sleep.
In: SRS Basics of Sleep Guide. ed. M.R. Opp. Sleep Research Society, Westchester, IL, 2005. pp. 167-174

Winkelman JW. Sleep disorders comes of age. Guest editorial.
In: Primary Psychiatry; 2005;12:8-10.

Winkelman JW, Pavlova M. Sleep Disorders.
In: Neurology: Basic and Clinical Neurosciences, Schapira A, Ed., in press.

BOOKS and MONOGRAPHS

Winkelman JW. Improving Sleep: A Guide to Getting a Good Night's Rest.
Harvard Medical School Publications. 2001;1-43.

CLINICAL COMMUNICATIONS

Winkelman JW. Diagnosis and Treatment of Insomnia.
Psychiatric Times July 1994, p. 37-8.

Winkelman JW. Restless Legs Syndrome in ESRD.
Nephrology News and Insight 1999;13:27-32.

Winkelman JW. High rates of periodic leg movements of sleep in REM-sleep behavior disorder raise more questions about the relationship between sleep-related movement disorders. Article reviewed: M.L. Fantini, M. Michaud, N. Gosselin, G. Lavigne, J. Montplaisir, Periodic leg movements in REM sleep behavior disorder and related autonomic and EEG activation
Neurology, 59 (2002) 1889-1894. Sleep Medicine; 4:261-262.

Restless Legs Syndrome: Common, unpleasant, and treatable.
Mayo Clinic Proceedings,2004; 79: S2-3.

Ancoli-Israel S, Benca RM, Edinger JD, Krystal AD, Mendelson W, Moldofsky H, Petrie J,Roth T, Walsh JK, Winkelman J; Special Issues Board Panel Members. Panel discussion: changing how we think about insomnia.
Journal of Clinical Psychiatry; 2004;65 Suppl 8:44-46.

Picchietti D, Winkelman J. Treatment of depression in patients with restless legs syndrome: What is evidence-based?
Sleep Medicine, in press.